Project Overview
Alliant Energy has earned an Envision Platinum Award for the Wever Solar Project in Wever, Iowa, marking the company’s fifteenth Envision Platinum Award and demonstrating its unwavering dedication to advancing sustainable energy infrastructure. The success of each project supports Alliant Energy’s overall goals and expands its expertise for application to future projects. The Wever Solar Project is a transformative renewable energy development in Lee County, Iowa that spans approximately 900 acres with an estimated capacity of 150 megawatts (MW). It includes a large-scale solar array, a collector substation, and a 69 kilovolt (kV) overhead transmission line, allowing it to generate clean, renewable energy for customers and the community. This project is one of four in a portfolio that supports Alliant Energy’s Clean Energy Blueprint, a roadmap to accelerate the company’s transition to renewable energy.
As the demand for renewable energy continues to grow, the Wever Solar Project represents a strategic step away from fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions and generating enough clean, low-cost energy to power thousands of homes. Additionally, it will serve as a significant source of new tax revenue for the City of Wever and Lee County, Iowa.
Alliant Energy chose to use the Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Framework to drive alignment of its project development practices with its overarching sustainability strategy. Envision was designed to promote more sustainable, resilient, and equitable infrastructure projects. It is comprised of 64 sustainability and resiliency indicators (called credits) which are organized within five categories: Quality of Life, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Natural World, and Climate and Resilience. Together, the categories and credits address materials, energy, conservation, community development, planning, collaboration, human well-being, mobility, and more. Achieving an Envision Platinum Award for the Wever Solar Project highlights and validates the project team’s exceptional commitment to sustainable energy infrastructure that supports people, planet, and prosperity.
The Wever Solar Project entered commercial operation in November 2024.
Quotes
“We’re thrilled to announce Alliant Energy’s Envision Platinum Award for the Wever Solar Project,” said Kailey Eldredge, Verification Director at ISI. “Alliant Energy has demonstrated exceptional leadership in developing more sustainable energy infrastructure, and the Wever Solar Project exemplifies how clean energy projects can deliver long-term benefits for both people and planet.”
Burns & McDonnell (Engineering-Procurement-Construction Contractor)
“We’re honored to have played a role in delivering a project that exemplifies sustainability, innovation, and true collaboration,” says Jami Stone, Project Manager. “From our early and ongoing partnership with the county engineer to the construction team’s modification of the equipment to improve efficiency and safety in the kitting of tracker tubes for the site, this project demonstrates how smart engineering and strong relationships can drive meaningful environmental outcomes.”
Alliant Energy
“We are proud to receive the Envision Platinum Award for our Wever Solar Project,” said Andrew Heidt, Manager of Strategic Projects at Alliant Energy. “The sustainable development, construction, and operation of the Wever Solar Project positively impacts the environment and boosts the local economy while delivering reliable, cost-effective energy to our customers and the communities we serve.”
Verified Sustainability Achievements
Enhancing Public Health & Safety – The Wever Solar Project goes above and beyond minimum health and safety regulations by avoiding emerging contaminants (such as PFAS) in equipment, implementing site-specific glare and water quality studies, and the installing fiber optic communications systems for improved cybersecurity. These efforts benefit both the immediate environment and the broader community of Lee County by safeguarding worker health, contributing to improved air and water quality, and reducing environmental health risks.
Driving More Sustainable Communities – As part of Alliant Energy’s Clean Energy Blueprint, the Wever Solar Project supports long-term clean energy goals for both Alliant Energy and the state of Iowa. It promotes a cleaner, more resilient energy future for the community by diversifying energy generation among renewable sources, decreasing reliance on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing regional energy security. Additionally, the project generates economic advantages for the community, including greater tax revenue, job creation, and increased land value for local landowners.
Promoting Renewable Energy – The Wever Solar Project is designed to generate net positive renewable energy and will serve to power approximately 30,000 homes each year. This supports Alliant Energy’s goal to diversify energy sources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and it delivers environmental benefits and reliable, low-cost energy to communities across Iowa.
Protecting Water Resources – The project team assessed potential risks to surface and groundwater during both project construction and operation, and identified sediment runoff and herbicide use as key concerns. To mitigate these risks, the team is implementing best management practices for erosion control and vegetation planning. Converting the site’s nearly 900 acres of farmland to native prairie grasses will significantly reduce pollutants like nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment from entering local waterbodies, and a thoughtful vegetation plan will limit herbicide use while improving local pollinator habitats. The site’s natural topography, along with the use of permeable soils, will prevent runoff into nearby sensitive areas. Together, these efforts will support the overall health of the regional watershed.
Enhancing Functional Habitats – The development of the Wever Solar Project will facilitate movement between terrestrial habitats, by both removing existing barriers and providing new connections. Alliant Energy has committed to expanding pollinator-friendly habitats in their renewable energy projects to encourage habitat diversity that supports wildlife and to help address an unsustainable global decline in pollinators. The mixed vegetation plan will encourage the development of new ecological niches, inviting and promoting habitat connections for terrestrial and avian species.
Improving Air Quality – Alliant Energy has made a company-wide commitment to reduce harmful emissions from their portfolio of assets and improve overall ambient air quality. The Wever Solar Project supports this goal by replacing fossil fuel energy generation with solar energy generation. Solar energy generation produces zero direct air pollutant emissions, thereby reducing harmful emissions – including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide – by over 99% when compared to fossil fuel energy generation and supporting a healthier environment.
PROJECT DETAILS AT-A-GLANCE
Title: Wever Solar Project
Location: Wever, Iowa, USA
Envision Rating: Platinum
Envision Award Date: February 19, 2025
Envision Version: v3
Project Owner: Alliant Energy
Project Sector: Energy
Project Type: Energy generation, energy distribution
Lead Envision Firm: Burns & McDonnell
Project Delivery Method: Engineer, Procure, Construct
Project Status: Operational
Project Website: alliantenergy.com/solar
